


Along For The Ride

by Fangirlshrewt97



Series: Nile Freeman's Guide to Down Time with Immortal Warriors [9]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Amusement Parks, Bonding, Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Roller Coasters, Team Bonding, Team as Family, Teasing, Tivoli Gardens, Vacation, a couple swear words, basically the immortal family goes to an amusement park, soft, that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26838190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirlshrewt97/pseuds/Fangirlshrewt97
Summary: “Wasn’t that awesome!” Nile exclaimed, her youth so evident to them. But as she saw their faces, her shoulders slumped. “You guys didn’t like it.”Joe took pity on the young woman. “Habibti, it’s not that...”“...It’s just we have actually been on a lot of these roller coasters, and also fallen off actual cliffs and jumped off waterfalls.” Nicky finished.Andy lowered the sunglasses she was wearing despite the weather. “It just takes more than a ride like that to get our adrenaline pumping kid.”Nile made this adorable expression of puffing out her cheeks in annoyance before blowing it out.“We will find you something you like here!” she declared. “Now come on, onto the next ride.”///Nile visits an amusement park, rides a lot of the rides, and swears that she will find something that will make Andromache the 6000 year old former goddess find something that thrills her no matter the cost. A couple bets are made along the way.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia & Nile Freeman & Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Nile Freeman's Guide to Down Time with Immortal Warriors [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851712
Comments: 16
Kudos: 180





	Along For The Ride

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Reader,
> 
> My updates are going to be getting slower as I have exams coming up, but I am nowhere near being done with the series, so if you are enjoying it so far, check out the other works in the series, and subscribe to it!
> 
> Reading your comments fuels me to write like nothing else can, and I have several stories planned. If you have any other ideas for ways the teams can bond (any dynamics work, but I am going be keeping Nile single/ the series won't contain any smut), please let me know in the comments!
> 
> As usual, these stories can all be read as stand alone or as part of the series.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please let me know with kudos/comments (which can include keyboard smashes, one word comments, or favorite lines!)
> 
> The story is not beta'd, so all errors are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, I am just borrowing them temporarily. Any similarities to real life are entirely coincidental! Tivoli Gardens is a wonderful amusement park in Copenhagen that I have never personally visited, so I apologize if I made some unknown grievous error in its description.
> 
> Enjoy,
> 
> Fangirlshrewt97

The team were on vacation. Or at least taking a break from missions at Nile’s behest. She had used the excuse of celebrating her first six months with them, but honestly, they all needed a breather. They had been running themselves ragged since London, and leaving Booker at the edge of the river. As if they could outrun their grief. Nile wondered how these people who should have been the best at saying goodbye, just out of necessity, were so terrible about grief.

But they had indulged her, because she had them all wrapped around her little finger, though she could not give you an explanation of how that happened to save her life. And when she had voiced her suggestion, the three had merely exchanged a few looks that held a thousand unaired words behind them before they agreed to her plan. They had given Copley a heads-up, and even graciously followed his suggestion to reduce the workload for him. None of them trusted the man yet, but they knew he would not be foolish enough to risk their wrath twice. Or at least not be alive to do so afterwards.

Which led them to right now, walking through downtown Copenhagen towards Tivoli Gardens. The weather was blessedly not cloudy, so they were all in comfortable jeans and light jackets paired with boots. Nile had been able to convince Andy to reduce her personal armory to three blades and a small revolver, and Joe and Nicky had promised her they were only carrying a small blade and a pocket knife each. She had sighed heavily but knowing it was the best she was going to get, she led them towards the park, following the directions from Google Maps.

“So, I was doing some research on this place last night, and it has some really cool rides. It is the second most popular theme-park in Europe, and the second-oldest still functioning amusement park in the world. They also have a roller coaster that was built in 1914, and apparently it is the last one that was built by that company before it shut down, and is the third oldest roller coaster in the world!” Nile said, voice filled with anticipation and excitement as she glanced between her phone and the streets to make sure she was not lost.

Andy hummed noncommittally beside her, hands shoved into her jacket pockets as she swaggered. Joe and Nicky both exchanged fond looks from behind Nile. Nicky had tucked his hand into Joe’s elbow and was leaning on him slightly, eyes tracing the city around them. It was winter, and he was already seeing the signs of Christmas around the corner, could practically smell the hot chocolate in the air. Joe for his part was humming a centuries old song quietly, content to just enjoy the walk with the heat of his beloved pressed to his side.

A sharp exhale from Nile had the older immortals looking to her, only to see that they had arrived at the amusement park. The large arches stood proudly against the pale blue skies, a bold golden cream stone that contrasted beautifully to the bland background. Reaching behind, Nile grabbed Andy’s arm and tugged her forward, running with her towards the booths. Andy yelped at the sudden jerk, nearly losing her footing, making Joe snicker, but regained her balance quickly enough. Nicky just gave her a soft smile despite the glare Andy threw at them.

Soon enough, the group had bought their tickets and entered the park. They had decided to come on a Tuesday in the middle of a workweek, figuring the park would be more empty than usual. As predicted the crowd was small, consisting mostly of older couples walking around the Christmas decorations that were being set up, the random business men they could see eating at the dining pavilion, and the odd mothers walking around with toddlers. So close to the start of the holiday season also meant they had arrived right before the tourists started to flood the city.

Nile had grabbed a map from the ticket booth and was scrolling through her phone while consulting the map.

“What are you doing bambina?” Nicky asked as he tried to peer over her shoulder. Andy had wandered over to an open area with a stage set up and vacant chairs in front. A nearby bulletin board had timings for the show that would take place on the stage presumably.

“Trying to find where this ride, aha got you! Come on, we are starting on the old roller coaster!” Nile said, a determined glint in her eye that made Nicky shake his head fondly. She went over to Andy and started to pull her in the direction of her roller coaster while Nicky and Joe followed her.

Because of the meager crowd, there wasn’t that much of a queue for any of the rides thankfully, and they only had to wait a few minutes before being shown to their seats, Andy and Nile sharing the very last bench while Joe and Nicky took one in front of them.

As they waited for the ride to start, Nile filled them in. “So, this whole thing is made of wood, and the conductor is going to be sitting in the middle of the cars. He has this lever that is the brake, so this ride is actually very manual. And apparently the two last benches are the best for getting the most out of the ride.”

Joe hummed as he surveyed the other occupants of the ride, a mix of college-age looking kids and a family with a young child. Andy just slumped as much as she could with the lap bar over her. Nile gave them an annoyed look but then lit up with anticipation when the conductor got on.

Nile was the only one with the genuine laughs and screams as the roller coaster twisted and slid downwards, with the two men mostly enjoying the rush of air. Andy exited the ride with the same bored look she had entered it in.

“Wasn’t that awesome!” Nile exclaimed, her youth so evident to them. But as she saw their faces, her shoulders slumped. “You guys didn’t like it.”

Joe took pity on the young woman. “Habibti, it’s not that...”

“...It’s just we have actually been on a lot of these roller coasters, and also fallen off actual cliffs and jumped off waterfalls.” Nicky finished.

Andy lowered the sunglasses she was wearing despite the weather. “It just takes more than a ride like that to get our adrenaline pumping kid.”

Nile made this adorable expression of puffing out her cheeks in annoyance before blowing it out.

“We will find you something you like here!” she declared. “Now come on, onto the next ride.”

The next ride turned out to be a tower of sorts where the seats went all the way up to the top and then dropped rapidly in staggering jumps. That one got Joe letting out a few giggles, which made Nile pump her fist into the air. The one after that had seats arranged in a single long row, and once they were strapped in, they were spun around at high speed.

“You know, I always wondered what the inside of a washing machine must feel like. Now, I don’t wonder anymore.” Nicky remarked after they exited the ride.

He merely blinked as Nile cracked up, laughing so hand she clutched her stomach and tears came out of her eyes. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm down.

“That ride did move a lot like a washing machine spins Nicky.” she said.

Joe slung an arm over his husband’s shoulders. “Where to next Nile?”

Nile hummed as she unfolded the park map again. “There is a dark water ride we can do, or another roller coaster.”

“Dark water ride?” Andy asked.

“Yeah, it’s basically where they put you in a boat and make the boat go through a dark tunnel. Some parks make it a ride by having some drops, others have elaborate set ups inside the tunnel.”

“Sounds interesting. Let’s do that, then the other coaster.”

“Sure!” Nile answered before leading them towards the ride.

They made their way to the Mine, and allowed themselves to be strapped into the ride. And then, in an unexpected, but much more exciting turn of events, were given dummy guns and told that there were blue and purple lights along the tunnel, and if they managed to hit at least 6 of the 10, there’d be a prize at the end. Nile internally winced at the look of unholy glee on Andy’s face, and resigned to just sitting back and letting the woman have her fun.

In the end the ride did turn out to be fun, but not as fun as the look of astonishment on the conductor’s face when she realized they had managed to hit all 10 targets. She blinked before smiling a wide disbelieving smile and handed them coupons. “Here. Use these at the dining pagoda. Lunch is on us today. Congratulations.”

Nile thanked her as she grabbed the coupons and herded the team away from there before they did something like comment on how to set up the targets better. And considering the gleam in Andy’s eyes, that was not an implausible scenario.

There were a couple more rides the team went on, each one having Nile wishing it’d be the one Andy found exciting, and being disappointed. After whiling the morning away bouncing between rides, the team decided to take a lunch break, and explored the park a little. They broke off into pairs before joining up again, commenting on the decorations being set up when Nicky stopped abruptly, zeroing in on one ride that made Joe groan and Andy put on a wicked smile.

“Bumper cars?” Nile asked incredulously, “That’s what makes you people excited?”

“Oh habibi, it is not excitement you sense...” Joe trailed off as he dislodged from Nicky’s side to stand beside Nile.

“20.” Nicky said confidently, nodding his head once.

“Hah!” Andy exclaimed. “30. Easy.”

“20? 30? What the hell are they talking about?” Nile asked. “Joe!”

“Just. Let’s just watch from the sidelines. For safety reasons.”

“Safety reasons? What the hell? Joe? Nicky? Andy?!!” Nile cried out as the group marched to the entrance of the ride. Joe tucked her into his side when she tried to follow Nicky ad Andy into the ride, shaking his head and dragging her to a place where they could the entirety of the driving space.

“Just watch.” Joe said.

Nile’s frustrations soon melted into unmitigated terror as the music started and Nicky and Andy gleefully spent the whole time crashing into each other with the maximum force possible. She hadn’t even known bumper cars were allowed to bump with such force. Beside her, Joe was muttering something, under his breath, and when she strained her ears, she heard him counting. The earlier conversation clicked.

“That was a bet about how many hits they could make in the three minute ride?” Nile shrieked, making Joe shush her, eyes trained on their teammates.

At least the two immortals were gracious enough to stay clear of the normal humans in the track, otherwise there was a high likelihood of a lawsuit being filed against them for reckless endangerment. The three minutes of the ride seemed to stretch for much longer, and when the music came to a stop, Nicky and Andy exchanged glances before looking at Joe. “Double our bets Yusuf!” Nicky called out.

“They’re going again?” Nile demanded, Joe giving her a helpless smile in answer. “Screw this, I’m going to get cotton candy. Find me when they are done.”

“Wait Nile!” Joe pleaded, but Nile walked away, leaving the trip to their bet over who could cause the greatest damage. At bumper cars. 

Nile also made a mental note to avoid getting into a car Nicky was driving. Not that Andy was better. She truly drove like a woman who had met god and won the ensuing fist fight.

Nile then went and bought herself a large cotton candy, and managed to finish it and wash it down with some soda by the time the other immortals emerged.

“All done?”

“Nile, the best part about automobiles are getting to crash them into one another.” Nicky declared.

“Who won?” she asked wearily, shaking her head when Andy flashed her a grin reminiscent of a shark. What kind of people had she signed on to spend the rest of her seemingly interminable life with?

Nile shook her head to get out of her speculations and looked at them. “Want to go to the Star Flyer?”

Andy raised an eyebrow. “Star flyer?”

Now it was Nile’s turn to give a shark grin. “Star flyer.”

The ride, which Nile explained to be one of the tallest in the world, consisted of a long tower with a circular core from which chairs were attached to long measures of wires. As the ride rose and the core expanded, the chairs started to fly free in the air, the ride thankfully going just slow enough that they were able to appreciate not only the entirety of the park itself but also of Copenhagen as they rose to the sky.

By the end of that ride, even Nicky was flushed pink, and gave a nod to Nile indicating he had enjoyed it. When Nile turned excitedly to Andy, she got a shrug, making her own shoulders slump.

“Don’t lose hope yet bambina, I believe you will find something that will excite even Andy.” Joe said as he swung an arm around her shoulders. Nicky grabbed her hand on her free side and squeezed it.

Nile took a deep breath. “Thank Joe. Next ride?”

“Lead the way kid.” Andy said.

Their next ride took them to a circular arena filled with metallic chairs that were spinning around the floor at a high speed while also tilting 180 degrees. Joe looked a little green and asked to sit this one out, so the other three went in, Nile deciding to ride it with the stranger.

As the ride began, Nile had to remember to breathe as the car tilted rapidly between being upright and flipping her upside down, enough that by the time it came to an end, her legs had turned to jelly. Nicky looked slightly unsteady himself, but Andy as usual seemed unaffected. Nile barely bit back the growl that threatened to escape.

Joe grinned when he spotted them, swaggering over in a way that normally Nile would make her think the guy was full of himself. In this case, she knew the man to be entirely full of shit. She gave him a shoulder shove out of spite, sending him crashing into Nicky, who let out a gasp at the sudden body colliding into him. “Aww come on Nile, this ride was your idea.”

Nile just growled. She felt a little bad about taking her frustration out on Joe, but honestly, what would it take to get Andy to let loose?

Just as she was about to respond, she heard a particularly high pitched chorus of screams to her right, and when she turned, she saw her last hope.

“I have one more ride Andy.”

“Kid, we have been here for almost six hours. I’m tired. Can we go back please?” Andy said as she put on her sunglasses again. It was then that Nile noticed the clouds had cleared enough to be painted the palest shade of orange as the sun dipped behind some buildings.

“One last ride Andy.” Nile asked, and to maximize her chances, pulled out her best puppy dog eyes.

She internally cheered when Andy’s facade crumbled in seconds, the older woman letting out a world weary sigh.

“Fine, one last ride.” Andy replied, rubbing her hand over the side of her face. Behind her, Joe’s shoulders were shaking, and he was hiding his laughter into Nicky’s jacket while the Genoese man just watched them with a barely contained grin.

Nile cheered and grabbed Andy’s hand, dragging her to the ride, not even bothering to see if the boys were following. She had a feeling neither would go on this ride.

They came to a stop in front of a ride titled Vertigo. The ride consisted of the middle beam with two long pole arms that ended with an old time airplane shaped car at the end of it. They watched the passengers get strapped in and the ride start. Nile heard a sharp inhale when the plane’s front half with the seats started to do 360º rotations as the arms started to rotate. They watched as the arms began to gain momentum with each completed rotation, to the point of sending cool blasts of wind whenever they hit the ground.

By the time the passengers exited, Nile was vibrating with excitement, she had a feeling this one might be the one. She turned to check in with the boys, and had to bite her lip to stop her laugh. Nicky was looking at the stationary airplane car with undisguised horror while Joe just looked green.

And because they were not the only ones who could tease, she asked them, “So boys, ready?”

Joe took a whole three steps back with arms held out in a defensive pose in front of him. “Not a chance.”

Nile pouted, but Joe wouldn’t cave. Nicky shook his head. “I respect the Earth.”

Nile frowned at him. “What? What does that have to do with this ride?”

“Bambina, there are a lot of things about our gift that I do not understand, and while I have had my instances of testing our limits…this just seems excessive.”

“Even after what happened in Tuscany?” Nile asked, referring to the story they had told her of the time during World War II that they had had to jump out of a plane for. Without parachutes.

“Precisely because of Tuscany,” Nicky countered. “I respect the Earth, and submit myself to her inherent forces which we should not defy. Gravity in this case.”

Nile opened her mouth to retort only to spin when Andy called her, already having been seated. Shooting one last frown at the men, she joined Andy in the seat.

And regretted it about 10 seconds into the ride. Maybe she should have listened to Nicky. With every rotation of the arms, the wind seemed to be blasting even more sharply against her face, making her eyes water. By the time the ride hit what she prayed was maximum velocity, she was struggling to breath. The ground seemed to be rushing to meet them faster and faster, but at least the plane had stopped rotating. Considering she felt close to a heart attack, how the fuck did normal people handle this, dear god were they done yet?

When the ride finally came to the stop, Nile forcibly swallowed back the bile that was climbing up her throat and exited the ride with all the dignity and grace she could muster. She was able to walk up to the boys with her head held high, but when they gave her a twin pair of identical raised eyebrows, she conceded defeat and raced to the nearby trashcan, dry heaving the fear out.

Joe handed her a bottle of water she accepted with a whimper when her stomach finally settled. After taking small sips, she bent at her knees and braced herself on them, pushing her weight towards the ground to remind her brain they were back on solid ground.

“How are you feeling bambina?” Nicky asked with sympathetic eyes when she finally rose.

“Nothing wins against mother Earth.” Nile choked out, making Nicky let out a loud laugh. Nile whimpered as another blast of wind reached them from where the ride had started again. It was only then that she noticed Andy wasn’t there.

“Where the hell is Andy?” Nile asked, spinning in place to find her. When she looked at the men, they just exchanged amused glances and tilted their heads towards the Vertigo ride again.

“You found her a ride she enjoys.” Joe said.

“Mother _ fucker. _ ” Nile said, vehemently. Then she punched the air. “I did it!”

Joe burst out laughing, with Nicky joining, and even Nile gave them a giant smile.

Who said amusement parks were not thrilling for immortal adrenaline junkies?

**Author's Note:**

> I chose Tivoli Gardens by literally googling best amusement parks in the world, and this one caught my eye. Here is a cool video that gives a run down of all the rides at the park if you have trouble visualizing any of these rides!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dn2R5-9BXg
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this entry, and if you did, please let me know, reading your comments makes me so happy!  
> And finally, if you want to come chat, you can find me at fangirlshrewt97.tumblr.com!


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